[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78332-78333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25157]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Patent Examiner Employment Application

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on 
the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651-
0042 Patent Examiner Employment Application. The purpose of this notice 
is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the 
information collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this information 
collection must be received on or before January 16, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
any of the following methods. Do not submit Confidential Business 
Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0042 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Justin Isaac, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Request for additional information 
should be directed to Linda Majca, Chief of Workforce Employment 
Division--Patents, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 
1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-0692; or by 
email at [email protected] with ``0651-0042 comment'' in the 
subject line. Additional information about this information collection 
is also available at http://www.reginfo.gov under ``Information 
Collection Review.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    In the current employment environment, life science and engineering 
graduates are in great demand. The United States Patent and Trademark 
Office (USPTO) is in direct competition with the private industry for 
the same caliber of candidates with the requisite knowledge and skills 
to perform patent examination work. This information collection covers 
online applications to the USPTO for entry-level patent examiner 
positions. More specifically, the collection covers the respondent data 
gathered from the applications. The USPTO posts the relevant positions 
online and collects applicant information via the USA Staffing System.
    The USA Staffing online application collects supplemental 
information to a candidate's USAJOBS application. This information 
assists USPTO Human Resource Specialists and Hiring Managers in 
determining whether an applicant possesses the basic qualification 
requirements for a patent examiner position. From the information 
collected, the USA Staffing system creates an electronic real-time 
candidate inventory on applicants' expertise and technical knowledge, 
which allows USPTO to immediately review applications from multiple 
applicants. The use of such automated online systems during recruitment 
allows USPTO to remain competitive, meet hiring goals, and fulfill the 
Agency's Congressional commitment to reduce the pendency rate for the 
examination of patent applications.

II. Method of Collection

    Items in this information collection must be submitted 
electronically via the USA Staffing system.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0651-0042.
    Forms: None.
    Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.
    Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 7,226 respondents.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 7,226 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the responses 
in this information collection will take the public approximately 30 
minutes (0.5 hours) to complete. This includes the time to gather the 
necessary information, create the document, and submit the completed 
request to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 3,613 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $106,511.

                                   Table 1--Total Burden Hours and Hourly Costs to Individual or Household Respondents
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                                   Estimated                       Estimated                                 Estimated
  Item No.          Item            annual       Responses per      annual         Estimated time  for    annual  burden   Rate \1\ ($/      Estimated
                                  respondents     respondent       responses         response (hour)        (hour/year)        hour)       annual burden
                                           (a)             (b)     (a) x (b) =  (d).....................     (c) x (d) =             (f)     (e) x (f) =
                                                                           (c)                                       (e)                             (g)
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1...........  Patent Examiner            7,226               1           7,226  0.50 (30 minutes).......           3,613          $29.48        $106,511
               Employee
               Application.
                               -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Totals.........           7,226  ..............           7,226  ........................           3,613  ..............         106,511
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\1\ USPTO uses the OPM Special Rate Table 0576--Patent Examiner 07-Step 1 (the salary divided by 2,080 (the hours per year in a standard 40-hour work-
  week)) as an estimate for the hourly rate: https://www.opm.gov/special-rates/2023/Table057601012023.aspx.

    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-Hourly Cost Burden: $0. There 
are no capital start-up, maintenance costs, recordkeeping costs, filing 
fees, or postage costs associated with this information collection.

IV. Request for Comments

    The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:
    (a) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of 
the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;

[[Page 78333]]

    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. USPTO will include or summarize each comment in the 
request to OMB to approve this information collection. Before including 
an address, phone number, email address, or other personally 
identifiable information (PII) in a comment, be aware that the entire 
comment--including PII--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you may ask in your comment to withhold PII from public view, 
USPTO cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

Justin Isaac,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2023-25157 Filed 11-14-23; 8:45 am]
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